Conditions and symptoms
What Is Angle-Closure Glaucoma? Eye Warnings on Labels
Angle-closure glaucoma · say it: ANG-gul KLOH-zher glaw-KOH-muhAlso written: closed-angle glaucoma, narrow-angle glaucoma, acute angle-closure glaucoma, Acute angle-closure glaucoma, acute angle closure, acute closed-angle glaucoma
Short answer
Angle-closure glaucoma is a sudden rise in eye pressure when fluid cannot drain from the eye. A sudden attack is an emergency.
What it means
In angle-closure glaucoma, the drainage angle at the front of the eye becomes blocked, so fluid cannot drain and pressure inside the eye rises. A sudden attack can cause severe eye pain, red eye, blurred vision, seeing halos around lights, headache, nausea and vomiting. It is an emergency that needs same-day urgent eye care to protect sight.
Labels for some medicines warn about it because they can widen the pupil, which in people with naturally narrow drainage angles can trigger an attack. These include some antidepressants, anticholinergic medicines, some antihistamines and decongestants, and some others. Most people do not know whether they have narrow angles, so the warning is telling you to seek urgent help if eye pain and vision changes appear, and to tell your doctor if you have had glaucoma or been told you have narrow angles.
Angle-closure glaucoma is different from the more common open-angle glaucoma, which develops slowly and usually without pain. Many medicine warnings are mainly about angle-closure.
Where you may see it
- 'Ask a doctor before use if you have glaucoma' on over-the-counter labels
- The 'Warnings' section of some antidepressant and anticholinergic labels
- Optometry and eye clinic letters
📄 How it looks on a report
Angle-closure glaucoma: The pupillary dilation that occurs following use of many antidepressant drugs may trigger an angle closure attack in a patient with anatomically narrow angles.
🙅 What it does not mean
- It does not mean everyone with glaucoma must avoid these medicines; the risk is mainly for angle-closure.
- It does not mean the medicine will damage your eyes if your drainage angles are open.
- Sore, tired eyes are not usually an attack, but sudden eye pain with vision changes needs urgent help.
🎯 Check yourself
Which of these is the right meaning of “Angle-closure glaucoma”?
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Angle-closure glaucoma”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Bupropion Hydrochloride
an aminoketone antidepressant, a type of medicine used to treat depression
- Diazepam
A benzodiazepine, a type of medicine that slows activity in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord)
- Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride
an antihistamine (an antihistaminic agent) given by injection into a vein or deep into a muscle
- Duloxetine
A serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) type of antidepressant medicine
- Fluoxetine
a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), a type of antidepressant medicine
- Hydrochlorothiazide
A thiazide diuretic, a type of medicine often called a 'water pill'
- Lorazepam
A benzodiazepine, a type of anxiety medicine
- Olanzapine
An atypical antipsychotic, a prescription medicine used for certain mental health conditions
- Paroxetine
A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), a type of antidepressant medicine
- Sertraline
An SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor), a type of antidepressant medicine, according to the label
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Angle-closure glaucoma” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
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